Top private companies grow 12 percent, despite economy - South Florida Business Journal:

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billion in 2007. The 12 percenty jump came even as pains from the real estat e bust registered and economic growth slowed Butthe list, which is based on companied reporting their 2007 revenue to the South Florida Businesas Journal, shows mixed results across numerous industries with big revenur gains, big declines and steadty returns. Given South Florida's historic reliancre on an increasing population, it's no surprisr that real estateand construction-related companies have 28 entries on the The highest-grossing development company is the , No. 9 on the Related's revenue dropped from $1.4 billion to $1.
25 billiom - a decline mirrored by many other real estate andconstructionm companies. Surprisingly, three of the five largest gainers, in terms of percentage of are real estate orconstruction related. saw 213 percent revenu growth, making it the largesrt revenue gainer, percent-wise, and No. 86 on the Kast posted 2007 revenueof $95 up from $30 millionj in 2006. General contractor James A. Cummingzs Inc., No. 36 on the list, rankedc second in percentage ofrevenue growth, at 150 percent. Cummingse built many government facilities, including local schoolzs and a garage at Palm BeacjhInternational Airport.
"That would explain some of the consistency and saidWayne Schuchts, managing principal of the Miami offices of tenant representation firm Also impressive in terms of revenue percentagew gain was Miami-based . With a leap from $60 million in 2006 to $109 millioh in 2007, Covin posted an 82 percent revenue gain and rankeds 80th onthe list. But real estate and construction-related companies also showed up on the opposite end of the spectrum with the worst revenue percentage declines. Key International took the worsthit - a 40.4 percenft drop from $282 million in 2006 to $168 million in 2007. Rightf behind was Gryphon Construction, whose revenue droppef 39.
9 percent - from $183 million to $110 Causeway Lumber, GREC Conversions and Current Builders rounded out the five wors t revenuepercentage declines. "That's the adjustment directly relatecd tothe home-building market - the lumber and the construction for the private sector," said real estat analyst Michael Y. Cannon, executive directotr of in Miami. In terms of overall revenue, the top five companiesz look similar tolast year. Stilpl No. 1 is Deerfield Beach-based , a diversified automotive companuywith $12.2 billion in revenue. JM Family is a majof distributor forand . Consideringy the slowdown in the auto its revenue grew an impressive 10 percentfrom $11.1 billion in 2006.
The misfortunde of dealers selling gas-guzzlers may have been JM'ss gain. "We are also fortunate to have a business partner in Toyotza thatproduces high-quality, economical cars and trucksd that are in demand in good timex and bad," JM Family CEO Colin Browm said through a Keeping the list's No. 2 spot is Miami-bases beverage distribution giant . Southern Wine kept the part going with an 11 percent revenue from $7.5 billion to $8.3 billion. Following at No. 3 is Miami'z , which distributes cell phones and globallyt manages wirelesssupply operations. Brightstar, one of the few technologhy companies on the grew revenuefrom $3.6 billion to $4.
8 billion, a 32 perceng jump. "We saw significant succeszs in a number of key markets like the U.S. and Latin America, and continued to grow via geographi expansion into partsof Asia, Africa and most important via a joint venture with into Europe," Brightstadr spokeswoman Sally Lange said. No. 4 is West Palm Beach'es , an energy, minerals and commodities firm. Oxboz grew revenue 146 percent - from $1.4 billiob in 2006 to $3.4 billion in 2007 - and made two major acquisitionslast year.